VINELAND -- Police are investigating a shooting Tuesday night on the 2600 block of Dante Avenue that left a man suffering gun shot wounds in the hand and leg.

According to Vineland Detective Lt. Thomas Ulrich, the 40-year-old male victim was shot in his own backyard shortly before 10:30 p.m., while he was feeding his dogs. Emergency crews rushed the victim to South Jersey Healthcare-Regional Medical Center, and then to Cooper University Hospital, in Camden, via helicopter.

The man was alert and speaking with investigators at Cooper Wednesday morning, police said.

According to Ulrich, the victim related he had gone outside to feed his dogs only to be confronted by two unknown males. As the victim walked toward the pair, one shot him in the hand while the other opened fire on the victim's leg.

As the man ran into his house, the pair followed him, kicking the door open. After the ensuing struggle, the assailants fled south through the back yard.

Meanwhile, the victim's live-in girlfriend, who was home at the time of the shooting, saw the men advancing on the house from the rear yard and ran out the front door to a neighbor's house, where she contacted police.

There were no descriptions available for the two gunmen except that one was “possibly Hispanic” with dark features, and wore a camouflage jacket.